Word to the Wise
Sunday, April 18, 2010 - Third Sunday of Easter
[Acts 5:27-32; Revelation 5:11-14; John 21:1-19]Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" Simon Peter answered him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." He then said to Simon Peter a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me? Simon Peter answered him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Tend my sheep." Jesus said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was distressed that Jesus had said to him a third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep..."
I hope my "congregation" will take the time to read the "longer" gospel selection this Sunday. Otherwise you will miss this profound and poignant dialog between Jesus and Peter. The connection is easily made with the three-fold denial of Jesus by Peter after Jesus' arrest and the dialog is simply a way of Peter being called to account and forgiven. [John 18:25-27] Another connection is that Peter is made explicitly the shepherd of the flock, which echoes Jesus' teaching about a "good shepherd." [cf. John 10] Both of these connections are good. I want to note a "further" connection that echoes Jesus' action at the Last Supper when he washed the feet of the disciples. Peter resisted this action and Jesus had to threaten him with the loss of everything if Peter did not accept this gesture of service. (cf. John 13) Each of Jesus' questions, "Do you love me?" is followed by the command to service. This command is not given simply to Peter! We cannot claim to love Christ if we are unwilling to love our neighbor and act in loving service to that neighbor. [cf. 1 John 4:20-21] This is more than an undifferentiated feeling of positive regard for one's fellow Christians or any other person! It is more than being civil and courteous (important as that increasingly rare trait is). It must be translated into action, as Jesus demonstrated at the Last Supper. We must "put skin on" love. Graphic examples of this appear in times of disaster and catastrophe as in recent earthquake events, but the ordinary needs of everyday life can easily be overlooked as we await the next disaster! Everyday service and "disaster" service are of one piece. It might help (and challenge) us to imagine Jesus asking US that question, "Do you love me?" Are we going to think, "I hope he doesn't ask me to........"? AMEN
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